Buckle device

ABSTRACT

A buckle device includes a body, a fastening element and a latch assembly. A first strap is secured to the body. The fastening element includes a rod formed thereon. The fastening element is mounted on the body so that it can be pivoted between a first position for allowing winding of a second strap around the rod and a second position for tensing up the second strap by means of the rod. The latch assembly can retain the fastening element in the second position. The body includes two side plates. The fastening element includes two side plates between which the rod is formed. A shaft is used to mount the fastening element on the body. The side plates of the body each define a hole for receiving the shaft. The side plates of the fastening element each define a hole for receiving the shaft. The latch assembly includes a latch mounted on the fastening element. Each of the side plates of the body includes a hook formed thereon for engagement with the latch when the fastening element is in the second position relative to the body. The latch includes two fins. Each of the side plates of the fastening element defines a slot for receiving one of the fins of the latch. An elastic element is connected between the fastening element and the latch for forcing the latch into engagement with the hooks when the fastening element reaches the second position relative to the body.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention is related to a buckle device.

[0003] 2. Related Prior Art

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,092 issued to the applicant of the presentpatent application discloses a conventional buckle device. Theconventional buckle device works well in securing two straps or two endsof a same strap in order to fasten objects. The conventional buckledevice is however complicated in structure, i.e., consists of a lot ofelements and therefore takes a long period of time to assemble andinevitably entails a high cost.

[0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or atleast alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a buckledevice that is simple in structure.

[0007] It is another objective of this invention to provide a buckledevice that is inexpensive to manufacture.

[0008] In the present invention, a buckle device includes a body, afastening element and a latch assembly. A first strap is secured to thebody. The fastening element includes a rod formed thereon. The fasteningelement is mounted on the body so that it can be pivoted between a firstposition for allowing winding of a second strap around the rod and asecond position for tensing up the second strap by means of the rod. Thelatch assembly is capable of retaining the fastening element in thesecond position relative to the body.

[0009] The body includes two side plates connected with each other bymeans of an intermediate plate. The fastening element includes two sideplates connected with each other by means of an intermediate plate. Theside plates of the fastening element are connected with the side platesof the body.

[0010] The rod is formed between the side plates of the fasteningelement.

[0011] The latch assembly includes a latch mounted on the fasteningelement. Each of the side plates of the body includes a hook formedthereon for engagement with the latch when the fastening element is inthe second position relative to the body.

[0012] The latch can slide on the fastening element. The latch includestwo fins projecting in opposite directions. Each of the side plates ofthe fastening element defines a slot for receiving one of the fins ofthe latch.

[0013] The latch assembly includes an elastic element connected betweenthe fastening element and the latch for forcing the latch intoengagement with the hooks when the fastening element reaches the secondposition relative to the body. The fastening element includes a retainerformed thereon, and the latch includes a retainer formed thereon. Theelastic element is positioned between the retainer of the fasteningelement and the retainer of the latch.

[0014] Each of the hooks includes an inclined edge on which one of thefins slides when the fastening element is reaching the second positionrelative to the body, thus compressing the elastic element.

[0015] A shaft is used to mount the fastening element on the body. Theside plates of the body each define a hole for receiving the shaft, andthe side plates of the fastening element each define a hole forreceiving the shaft. The shaft includes a first end formed with a headand a second end defining an annular groove for receiving a C-clip inorder to retain the shaft in position.

[0016] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention is described through detailed illustrationof embodiments referring to the attached drawings wherein:

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buckle device according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the buckle device of FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line 3-3 in FIG. 1

[0021]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the buckle devicein a second position;

[0022]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a buckle device according to asecond embodiment of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the buckle device shown inFIG. 5; and

[0024]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the buckle devicein a second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a buckle device according to a firstembodiment of the present invention includes a body 10, a fasteningelement 20 and a latch assembly 30.

[0026] The body 10 includes two side plates 11 and an intermediate plate12 for connecting the side plates 11 with each other. Each of the sideplates 11 includes a hole 13 defined therein and a hook 14 formedthereon. The hook 14 formed on each of the side plates 11 includes aninclined edge. A bar 15 is formed between the side plates 11 so that itis separated from the intermediate plate 12. A second bar 16 is formedbetween the side plates 11 so that it is separated from the intermediateplate 12.

[0027] The fastening element 20 includes two side plates 21 and anintermediate plate 22 for connecting the side plates 21 with each other.Each of the side plates 21 includes a hole 23 defined therein and a slot24 defined therein. A retainer 25 extends in a direction from theintermediate plate 22 and then turns and extends in an oppositedirection as seen in FIG. 3. A rod 26 is formed between the side plates21. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the periphery of the rod 26 includesa cylindrical portion and a flat portion.

[0028] The latch assembly 30 includes a latch 31 and an elastic element32. In the first embodiment, the elastic element 32 is an S-shapedspring. Two fins 33 extend in opposite directions from the latch 31. Aretainer 34 extends in a direction from the latch 33 and then turns andextends in an opposite direction as seen in FIG. 3.

[0029] In assembly, the side plates 21 of the fastening element 20 arepositioned between the side plates 11 of the body 10 so that the holes13 are aligned with the holes 23. A shaft 27 including an enlarged headand a tip is inserted through the holes 13 and 23 so that the fasteningelement 20 is pivotally mounted on the body 10. The flat portion of therod 26 faces the shaft 27. An annular groove 28 is defined in the shaft27 near the tip. A C-clip 29 is received in the annular groove 28. Theshaft 27 is retained in position by means of the head thereof and theC-clip 29 mounted thereon.

[0030] The fins 33 are inserted in the slots 24, thus mounting the latch31 on the fastening element 20 so that the latch 31 can slide relativeto the fastening element 20. The fins 33 extend beyond the side plates21. The elastic element 32 is compressed between the retainers 25 and 34as seen in FIG. 3.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, the buckle device in according to thepresent invention can be used to securely connect a first strap 41 witha second strap 42. The numerals “41” and “42” may refer to two separatestraps or two terminal sections of a same strap; however, they are usedto represent two separate straps hereinafter for simplicity ofdescription.

[0032] A terminal section of the first strap 41 is wound around thefirst bar 15 and then secured to another section of the first strap 41,thus securing the first strap 41 to the first bar 15.

[0033] A terminal section of the second strap 42 is inserted between theintermediate plate 12 and the second bar 16, and wound around the rod26, and inserted between the rod 26 and the shaft 27, and then insertedbetween the intermediate plate 12 and the second bar 16 again. Theterminal section of the second strap 42 is pulled until the strap 42 istense. Then, the fastening element 20 is pivoted from a position shownin FIGS. 3 to a position shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the second strap 42 isfurther pulled so that the strap 42 is further tensed up. Due to a largefrictional force exerted on the second strap 42 by the rod 26 and alarge frictional force exerted on the second strap 42 by the shaft 27,the tense in the second strap 42 is retained. Just before the fasteningelement 20 reaches the position shown in FIG. 4, the fins 33 slide onthe inclined edges of the hooks 14, thus compressing the elastic element32. Immediately after the fins 33 move past the inclined edges of thehooks 14, the elastic element 32 forces the fins 33 into engagement withthe hooks 14.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5, a buckle device according to a secondembodiment of the present invention includes a rod 26′ formed betweenthe side plates 21 of the fastening element 20 in place of the bar 26 ofthe buckle device according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention. Other elements of the second embodiment are identical to thatof the first embodiment and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0035] Similar to the buckle device according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention, the buckle device according to the secondembodiment of the present invention can be used to securely connect thefirst strap 41 with the second strap 42.

[0036] The terminal section of the second strap 42 is inserted betweenthe intermediate plate 12 and the second bar 16, and wound around therod 26, and then inserted between the intermediate plate 12 and thesecond bar 16 again. The terminal section of the second strap 42 ispulled until the strap 42 is tense. Then, the fastening element 20 ispivoted from a position shown in FIG. 6 to a position shown in FIG. 7.Thus, the second strap 42 is further pulled so that the strap 42 isfurther tensed up. Due to a large frictional force exerted on the secondstrap 42 by the rod 26′ and a large frictional force exerted on thesecond strap 42 by the shaft 27, the tense in the second strap 42 isretained.

[0037] The preferred embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed in detail for illustrative purposes. Those skilled in the artcan derive a lot of variations from these embodiments after a study ofthis patent specification. Therefore, these embodiments shall by nomeans limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the presentinvention can only be defined in the attached claims.

1. A buckle device including: a body (10) to which a strap (41) issecured; a fastening element (20) including a rod (26; 26′) formedthereon, wherein the fastening element (20) is mounted on the body (10)so that it can be pivoted between a first position for allowing windingof a second strap (42) around the rod (26; 26′) and a second positionfor tensing up the second strap (42) by means of the rod (26; 26′); anda latch assembly (30) for retaining the fastening element (20) in thesecond position relative to the body (10).
 2. A buckle device accordingto claim 2 wherein the body (10) includes two side plates (11) connectedwith each other by means of an intermediate plate (12), and thefastening element (20) includes two side plates (21) connected with eachother by means of an intermediate plate (22), and the side plates (21)of the fastening element (20) are connected with the side plates (11) ofthe body (10).
 3. A buckle device according to claim 2 wherein the rod(26; 26′) is formed between the side plates (21) of the fasteningelement (20).
 4. A buckle device according to claim 3 wherein the latchassembly (30) includes a latch (31) mounted on the fastening element(30), and each of the side plates (11) of the body (10) includes a hook(14) formed thereon for engagement with the latch (31) when thefastening element (20) is in the second position relative to the body(10).
 5. A buckle device according to claim 4 wherein the latch (31) canslide on the fastening element (20).
 6. A buckle device according toclaim 5 wherein the latch (31) includes two fins (33) projecting inopposite directions, and each of the side plates (21) of the fasteningelement (20) defines a slot (24) for receiving one of the fins (33) ofthe latch (31).
 7. A buckle device according to claim 6 wherein thelatch assembly (30) includes an elastic element (32) connected betweenthe fastening element (20) and the latch (31) for forcing the latch (31)into engagement with the hooks (14) when the fastening element (20)reaches the second position relative to the body (10).
 8. A buckledevice according to claim 7 wherein the fastening element (20) includesa retainer (25) formed thereon, and the latch (31) includes a retainer(34) formed thereon, and the elastic element (32) is positioned betweenthe retainer (25) of the fastening element (20) and the retainer (34) ofthe latch (31).
 9. A buckle device according to claim 7 wherein each ofthe hooks (14) includes an inclined edge on which one of the fins (33)slides when the fastening element (20) is reaching the second positionrelative to the body (10), thus compressing the elastic element (32).10. A buckle device according to claim 1 including a shaft (27) formounting the fastening element (20) on the body (10).
 11. A buckledevice according to claim 10 wherein the side plates (11) of the body(10) each define a hole (13) for receiving the shaft (27), and the sideplates (21) of the fastening element (20) each define a hole (23) forreceiving the shaft (27).
 12. The buckle device according to claim 11wherein the shaft (27) includes a first end formed with a head and asecond end defining an annular groove (28) for receiving a C-clip (29)in order to retain the shaft (27) in position.